An Alternative to Sulking
by yellow 14
Summary: When Harry took Parvati Patil to the Yule ball he acted badly. But imagine what might have happened had he actually decided to try ENJOY himself. Written for CyberArcRotarr's Let's Have A Ball challenge.


Disclaimer: Me no own Harry Potter. I'm nowhere near that good

AN: Written for CyberArcRotarr's Let's Have A Ball challenge, which really deserves more love. I have used some of the dialogue from the book at the start of the fic, which I have highlighted in **bold.**

"**Oh-but-this is a really good one" Parvati said, as the Weird Sisters struck up a new song, which was much faster.**

"**No, I don't like it," Harry lied and he led her away from the dance floor, past Fred and Angelina **when suddenly Fred grabbed Harry and Angelina grabbed Parvati and suddenly dragged the two of them into a dance.

"Ahhh, Harry you weren't planning on leaving the dance floor so soon?" Fred asked with a smirk and a knowing look. "That would be no fun at all!"

"We-"

"And you don't get to go to a Yule ball every year," Fred added, cutting Harry off before he could really say anything. "You have a duty to the rest of the male population at Hogwarts to show that the Gryffindor champion can keep up with any wizard in the world! Look, Cedric's not letting the side down," he gestured over to where Cedric and Cho were busy dancing. "Do you really want us to be behind Hufflepuff on the snogging stats?" and before Harry could say anything, Fred spun him into the arms of Parvati Patil, who was looking equally flustered and more than a little breathless. Shooting a quick glare in Fred and Angelina's direction, he resumed dancing.

"Ow, that was my foot!" Parvati complained as he lost his concentration.

"Sorry," he muttered and Parvati huffed. He looked up at Parvati, all dressed up in her (very) pretty dress robes and make up and generally everything about her and he felt a slow burning rise up his face as he realised just how much this dance actually meant to her.

She wanted this night to be something to remember. He was too busy moping over Cho Chang. She saw this as a once in a lifetime opportunity and he saw it as a burden. With a sudden snap decision, he decided that perhaps he should try enjoying himself too. With a sudden gusto, he threw himself into the dancing with, he decided, as much energy as Fred and Angelina were doing on the idea that if he couldn't dance well then at least he could be energetic enough to make up for it. (At least, that was what he hoped!)

Parvati, it seemed was taken by surprise at first, but she soon got into the swing of things and a wide smile lit up her face as she too seemed to start enjoying herself.

It seemed to work too. Harry was actually, much to his surprise, actually enjoying himself. Although he wasn't actually very good, Parvati didn't seem to mind. (Although he was sure he saw Padma shoot jealous glances at her sister.)

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Ron was too busy staring moodily at Hermione and Krum to notice Padma glared at the back of his head.

"Are you going to ask me to dance at all?" Padma asked Ron angrily.

"No," Ron said and Padma glared at him. With a swish of her silky black hair, she stormed over to where her sister was dancing with Harry and grabbed her by the arm.

"I. Thought. You. Said. Ron. Had. Hidden. Depths." She said through gritted teeth and Harry frowned.

"He does have hidden depths," Harry protested and Padma gave him a sour look.

"They just don't extend to good manners, dancing and how to treat a girl right," she said sardonically and Harry frowned.

"He's probably just caught out by Hermione," he said and he gave Parvati an apologetic smile. "Would you excuse me for a minute? I think I need to pull out Ron's hidden depths."

"Sure," Parvati said a little breathlessly. "I could do with a drink anyway."

"Thanks," he said with a smile and he walked over to Ron.

"Hi Ron," he said and Ron looked away from Hermione with a grumpy expression on his face.

"Hi Harry," he said in a slightly grouchy tone and Harry winced. It did not bode well for what he was planning.

"What's up Ron?" Harry asked and Ron frowned.

"Nothing," he said quickly and Harry raised an eyebrow. With a grimace, he waved his hand at Hermione and Krum. "I'm just a little thrown, what with Hermione fraternising with the enemy." Harry rolled his eyes, but Ron didn't notice.

"Then maybe you should show her what she's missing," Harry suggested with a smirk and Ron looked at him dubiously. "Or do you think that Victor Krum is better?"

"No chance!" Ron snapped and he stormed over to Padma Patil and turned and faced her. "Padma, will you do me the honour of the next dance?"

"Well if it's not **too** much hassle to ask you behave like a gentleman," Padma replied in an irritated voice and Ron winced.

"I'm sorry, I've been a bit of a prat tonight," Ron admitted. "I think Hermione coming with Krum threw me a bit."

"You have been a bit of a prat," Padma said as she raised her eyebrow slightly. "Apology accepted and yes I will take you up on your offer."

"Thanks," Ron said sheepishly as the band struck up a new song and Ron began to dance with Padma. (It was a bit chaotic, but Padma seemed to be enjoying it and much to his surprise, so was he.)

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Harry smiled as he watched Padma and Ron enjoying themselves on the dance floor.

"It looks like you were able to find his hidden depths," Parvati joked playfully and Harry smiled.

"The trouble with Ron is that he can be so much of a prat that people don't realise how good a person he actually is," he replied and Parvati smiled at him.

"You're sweet Harry," she said and leaned over and kissed him on the lips, a quick, chaste kiss that seemed to promise so much more. "Let's dance some more."

As Harry let her lead him back onto the dance floor he licked his lips in surprise. He had never expected to have his first kiss at the Yule Ball, especially after Cho had turned him down. But as far as experiences went, that was a pretty good one and with a sudden impulse he opened his mouth and said.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" he asked and Parvati smiled.

"I'd love to," she replied and the two of them danced the night away and although their relationship only lasted a few weeks, they would both remember the one perfect night of the Yule Ball.

AN: Not too keen on the ending personally, but life goes on.


End file.
